diff --git a/internal_packages/worker-sync/lib/nylas-sync-worker.coffee b/internal_packages/worker-sync/lib/nylas-sync-worker.coffee
index aa8e4303b..1cadfe03b 100644
--- a/internal_packages/worker-sync/lib/nylas-sync-worker.coffee
+++ b/internal_packages/worker-sync/lib/nylas-sync-worker.coffee
@@ -137,11 +137,14 @@ class NylasSyncWorker
     requestOptions =
       error: (err) =>
         return if @_terminated
-        @_resumeTimer.backoff()
-        @_resumeTimer.start()
-        @updateTransferState(model, {busy: false, complete: false, error: err.toString()})
+        @_fetchCollectionPageError(model, err)
       success: (json) =>
         return if @_terminated
+
+        if model in ["labels", "folders"] and @_hasNoInbox(json)
+          @_fetchCollectionPageError(model, "No inbox in #{model}")
+          return
+
         lastReceivedIndex = params.offset + json.length
         if json.length is params.limit
           nextParams = _.extend({}, params, {offset: lastReceivedIndex})
@@ -156,6 +159,18 @@ class NylasSyncWorker
     else
       @_api.getCollection(@_account.id, model, params, requestOptions)
 
+  # It's occasionally possible for the NylasAPI's labels or folders
+  # endpoint to not return an "inbox" label. Since that's a core part of
+  # the app and it doesn't function without it, keep retrying until we see
+  # it.
+  _hasNoInbox: (json) ->
+    return not _.any(json, (obj) -> obj.name is "inbox")
+
+  _fetchCollectionPageError: (model, err) ->
+    @_resumeTimer.backoff()
+    @_resumeTimer.start()
+    @updateTransferState(model, {busy: false, complete: false, error: err.toString()})
+
   updateTransferState: (model, {busy, error, complete, fetched, count}) ->
     @_state[model] = _.defaults({busy, error, complete, fetched, count}, @_state[model])
     @writeState()
diff --git a/internal_packages/worker-sync/spec/nylas-sync-worker-spec.coffee b/internal_packages/worker-sync/spec/nylas-sync-worker-spec.coffee
index b619d20b1..bc1b46c64 100644
--- a/internal_packages/worker-sync/spec/nylas-sync-worker-spec.coffee
+++ b/internal_packages/worker-sync/spec/nylas-sync-worker-spec.coffee
@@ -101,6 +101,28 @@ describe "NylasSyncWorker", ->
       advanceClock(30000); expect(@worker.resumeFetches.callCount).toBe(4)
       advanceClock(30000); expect(@worker.resumeFetches.callCount).toBe(5)
 
+    it "handles the request as a failure if we try and grab labels or folders without an 'inbox'", ->
+
+      spyOn(@worker, 'resumeFetches').andCallThrough()
+      @worker.start()
+      expect(@worker.resumeFetches.callCount).toBe(1)
+      request = _.findWhere(@apiRequests, model: 'labels')
+      request.requestOptions.success([])
+      expect(@worker.resumeFetches.callCount).toBe(1)
+      advanceClock(30000)
+      expect(@worker.resumeFetches.callCount).toBe(2)
+
+    it "handles the request as a success if we try and grab labels or folders and it includes the 'inbox'", ->
+
+      spyOn(@worker, 'resumeFetches').andCallThrough()
+      @worker.start()
+      expect(@worker.resumeFetches.callCount).toBe(1)
+      request = _.findWhere(@apiRequests, model: 'labels')
+      request.requestOptions.success([{name: "inbox"}, {name: "archive"}])
+      expect(@worker.resumeFetches.callCount).toBe(1)
+      advanceClock(30000)
+      expect(@worker.resumeFetches.callCount).toBe(1)
+
   describe "when a count request completes", ->
     beforeEach ->
       @worker.start()